Maryland women’s basketball defeats Towson 98-63 to move to 5-0

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Athletics

Maryland defeated in-state rival Towson (0-4) 98-63 to start the season 5-0. The Terps’ offense was the key, spreading the wealth with a season-high six players scoring in double figures. 

“That’s the balance we want to have”, Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said. “Those have been our championship teams.” 

The Terps’ first possession was a sign of things to come, as Maryland swung the ball around, leading to an and-one layup for Allie Kubek against her former team. 

Bri McDaniel continued her stellar defensive play with a steal and layup to make it 5-2 Maryland. 

Towson answered with a 4-0 scoring run to take the lead, but Maryland answered with back-to-back threes from McDaniel and Sarah Te-Biasu and a transition layup by Kubek to take a 13-6 lead. 

Saylor Pofferbarger hit her first three of the game out of the timeout to extend the lead to ten – 16-6. 

Maryland took a 25-12 lead with 2:40 to go in the first, fueled by Kaylene Smikle scoring seven in a row to extend the lead after being taken out early. 

Maryland kept the red-hot shooting going throughout the first quarter, taking, sparking its highest-scoring quarter so far this season. The Terps shot 68% from the field and 71% from three to take a 15-point lead, 33-18. 

Towson started the quarter hot, but the Terps answered after a slow start. Te-Biasu kept her hot shooting going, starting 3-for-3 from three and giving the Terps a 14-point lead. 

The Terps then went on a 12-3 run led by its swarming defense, getting three steals to extend the lead to 18 – 48-30 – with 4:15 left in the second.

Towson ended the second quarter strong, outsourcing the Terps 10-6 in the final four minutes. Maryland was held scoreless for the final 2:16, making the score 54-40 at the half.

Maryland shook off the struggles from the end of the first half, starting the third quarter on a 6-0 run, but stretched over several minutes.

Neither team could get much going halfway through the quarter, as the Terps outscored the Tigers just 8-3 in the first five minutes. 

After the timeout, the Terps came out energized. Shyanne Sellers scored four straight points, followed by two Poffenbarger threes, giving Maryland its largest lead of the game – 72-48.  

Te-Biasu’s layup closes out the third, giving her 13 points with a 74-51 lead going into the final quarter. 

Maryland came out firing in the fourth, scoring on its first four possessions to extend the run. After a layup by Kubek, Smikle goes on her second seven-point scoring run, making it her fourth straight game with 20-plus points and giving the Terps a 32-point lead – 83-51. 

“Consistency is something that I take pride in”, said Smikle. “I don’t want to come out one day and have a good game and the next day [not play well].” 

The Terps emptied the bench to end the fourth—everybody who suited up played, with every player but one getting on the scoreboard. 

The Terps dominated the second half, outsourcing the Tigers 44-23, as both sides of the ball did their part. 

“I love that response in the second half, though that’s what we’re looking for”, Frese said. “We’re trying to build those habits.” 

Two Terps finished with a double-double. Shyanne Sellers finished with 10 points and 10 assists, one short of her career-high, and Christina Dalce finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Another milestone for the Terps came from Allie Kubek, reaching 1,000 career points and receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd.